--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've come to feel that if I can't make…" description: "\"I've come to feel that if I can't make something happen in under an hour and a half, it's not going to happen in a compelling way in a three-hour play...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/sam-shepard-2232_come_i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-s_1902684.jpg" --- # I've come to feel that if I can't make something happen in… ![“I've come to feel that if I can't make something happen in under an hour and a half, it's not going to happen in a compelling way in a three-hour play.” quote by Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/sam-shepard-2232_come_i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-s_1902684.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/sam-shepard-2232_come_i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-s_1902684.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/sam-shepard-2232_come_i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-s_1902684.jpg) > “I've come to feel that if I can't make something happen in under an hour and a half, it's not going to happen in a compelling way in a three-hour play.” [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a creative idea can't be realized quickly, it may lack the immediacy needed for compelling theatrical storytelling. **In simple terms:** Ideas need quick execution to stay compelling. Key Takeaway Focus on concise, impactful storytelling. Themes creativity theatre urgency execution Mood reflective pragmatic Type creative professional When to use this quote - stage productions - film scripts Key Concepts dramatic structure creative constraints production timelines Questions to Reflect On - When is patience better than speed? - How do you decide what to cut? A Different Perspective May limit deep, slow‑burn narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) ## Related quotes > [We learned not to meet anymore, We don't raise our eyes to one another, But we ourselves won't guarantee What could happen to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-akhmatova/we-learned-not-to-meet-anymore-we-don-t-raise-our-eyes-to-one-another/) [Anna Akhmatova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-akhmatova/) > [You don't know what's going to happen to you in the next hour. So you just live your life, live to the best of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-civil/you-don-t-know-what-s-going-to-happen-to-you-in-the-next-hour-so-you/) [Karen Civil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-civil/) > [...It's just one hour. Just one little hour. What could happen in one hour?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/it-s-just-one-hour-just-one-little-hour-what-could-happen-in-one-hour/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [We obtain better knowledge of a person during one hour's play and games than by conversing with him for a whole year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-obtain-better-knowledge-of-a-person-during-one-hour-s-play-and/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [An hour of play is worth a lifetime of conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/an-hour-of-play-is-worth-a-lifetime-of-conversation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-discover-more-about-a-person-in-an-hour-of-play-than-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a big, three-hour-play, Ibsen-revival kind of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gandolfini/i-m-not-a-big-three-hour-play-ibsen-revival-kind-of-man/) [James Gandolfini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gandolfini/) > [When I break any of the chains that bind me I feel that I make myself smaller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/when-i-break-any-of-the-chains-that-bind-me-i-feel-that-i-make-myself/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [I feel that I can make certain shots, tough shots, and that I can play better when things aren't going well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-shriver/i-feel-that-i-can-make-certain-shots-tough-shots-and-that-i-can-play/) [Pam Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-shriver/) > [Never take a day with anyone u care about for granted. Tell them how u feel, show them they make u smile, &say I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/never-take-a-day-with-anyone-u-care-about-for-granted-tell-them-how-u/) Unkown > [Life is what the least of us make the most of us feel the least of us make the most of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-the-least-of-us-make-the-most-of-us-feel-the-least-of-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never write a song before I get the track because I just feel that I have to make a marriage with that track…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-gibbs/i-never-write-a-song-before-i-get-the-track-because-i-just-feel-that/) [Freddie Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-gibbs/) > [“I've felt basically lucky ever since, almost every day of my life. That's something else love should make you feel. It should make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-finnamore/i-ve-felt-basically-lucky-ever-since-almost-every-day-of-my-life-that/) [Suzanne Finnamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-finnamore/) > [The way u make me feel when I see u. u make my heart explosed with exictment because I cant wait to have sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickayla-f/the-way-u-make-me-feel-when-i-see-u-u-make-my-heart-explosed-with/) Mickayla F > [What makes us follow our dreams its happiness that we feel when we make everything in our mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salah-lhouiouri/what-makes-us-follow-our-dreams-its-happiness-that-we-feel-when-we/) Salah Lhouiouri ## More by Sam Shepard > [I guess what I like is mostly country & western or else stuff that has a real blues feel to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-guess-what-i-like-is-mostly-country-western-or-else-stuff-that-has/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [You can write 16 plays and not make as much money as you did doing one movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/you-can-write-16-plays-and-not-make-as-much-money-as-you-did-doing/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [It's funny, in a way the actor is a writer. It's not like the two things are so separate as to be like apples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/it-s-funny-in-a-way-the-actor-is-a-writer-it-s-not-like-the-two/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Character is an essential tendency. It can be covered up, it can be messed with, it can be screwed around with, but it can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/character-is-an-essential-tendency-it-can-be-covered-up-it-can-be/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Why would you want to be be counseled in your grief? It's too private.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/why-would-you-want-to-be-be-counseled-in-your-grief-it-s-too-private/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Farm country -- you know, hay, horses, cattle. It's the ideal situation for me. I like the physical endeavors that go with the farm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/farm-country-you-know-hay-horses-cattle-it-s-the-ideal-situation-for/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I think comedy's harder to pull off on the screen than on the stage, anyway. Tragedy is easier on the screen... oddly enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-think-comedy-s-harder-to-pull-off-on-the-screen-than-on-the-stage/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [“Those are the most monotonous fuckin' crickets I ever heard in my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/those-are-the-most-monotonous-fuckin-crickets-i-ever-heard-in-my-life/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [All good writing comes out of aloneness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/all-good-writing-comes-out-of-aloneness/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [When I first started in film, I was terrified of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/when-i-first-started-in-film-i-was-terrified-of-the-camera/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I'll develop my own image. I'm an original man. A one and only. I just need some help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-ll-develop-my-own-image-i-m-an-original-man-a-one-and-only-i-just/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [When I just sit around my house and work, I can work two, three hours, and then I go off and ride a horse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/when-i-just-sit-around-my-house-and-work-i-can-work-two-three-hours/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Hollywood is geared toward teenage idiocy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/hollywood-is-geared-toward-teenage-idiocy/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [It's my private life, and it's not up for grabs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/it-s-my-private-life-and-it-s-not-up-for-grabs/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [Keep away from fantasy. Shake off the image,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/keep-away-from-fantasy-shake-off-the-image/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) [Explore all 176 Sam Shepard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) ## More Come quotes > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [If you've got some to say to Ric Flair, you come say it to me, and I'll make the translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-piper/if-you-ve-got-some-to-say-to-ric-flair-you-come-say-it-to-me-and-i-ll/) [Roddy Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-piper/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Mihir is one of the most secure men that I have ever come across in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manini-mishra/mihir-is-one-of-the-most-secure-men-that-i-have-ever-come-across-in/) [Manini Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manini-mishra/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [We'd always come into Syracuse for the Empire State Games and the stair fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/we-d-always-come-into-syracuse-for-the-empire-state-games-and-the/) [Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“More we know, more we come know that how less we know”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/souvik-khamrui/more-we-know-more-we-come-know-that-how-less-we-know/) Souvik Khamrui > [I mean, you've kind of got the track down, especially with ovals. The only thing that improves is that when race conditions come, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danica-patrick/i-mean-you-ve-kind-of-got-the-track-down-especially-with-ovals-the/) [Danica Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danica-patrick/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My preference is for people who come to rehearsal and get into the ring. I like a muscular actor who's playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/my-preference-is-for-people-who-come-to-rehearsal-and-get-into-the/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) Browse all 13,032 Come quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've come to feel that if I can't make something happen in under an hour and a half, it's not going to happen in a compelling way in a three-hour play.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Shepard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-something-happen-in-under-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Come" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-something-happen-in-under-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/sam-shepard-2232_come_i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-s_1902684.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/sam-shepard-2232_come_i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-s_1902684.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/sam-shepard-2232_come_i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-s_1902684.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've come to feel that if I can't make something happen in under an hour and a half, it's not going to…” — Sam Shepard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sam Shepard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've come to feel that if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-something-happen-in-under-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/i-ve-come-to-feel-that-if-i-can-t-make-something-happen-in-under-an/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```